The funeral of the Newcastle United fan Liam Sweeney, the first British victim to be identified from the wreckage of flight MH17, took place on Thursday.

Family and friends arrived under gloomy skies to commemorate the life of the 28-year-old, who had been travelling to New Zealand to watch his team play.

They were joined at St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne, by the manager, Alan Pardew, the captain, Fabricio Coloccini, the assistant manager, John Carver, and the club's managing director, Lee Charnley.

Pictures inside the order of service showed Sweeney when he was a boy and in his Newcastle kit.

Following the Malaysia Airlines crash in July hundreds of tributes and flowers were left outside St James' Park for Sweeney and John Alder, a fellow supporter who had been travelling on the flight with him.

On Sunday family members of both fans laid flowers in the centre circle of the stadium and a minute's silence was held before the home game against Manchester City kicked off.

The hundreds of mourners who attended Sweeney's funeral on Thursday heard that he was a family man and a gentle giant who was always smiling.

He loved reading, especially Lord of the Rings and Animal Farm, and also loved watching the Simpsons, the service was told.

Canon Robert Spence said Sweeney deserved his place in Geordie mythology and a Newcastle scarf and shirt had been placed on his coffin as a sign of his commitment to the team.

Prayers were also said for the family of Alder, asking that his family would have peace at this time.

A tearful rendition of a poem was read out in the cathedral, which included the words: "If the Toon were playing you were there, win or lose through bad and good, Newcastle United were in your blood."